The Art of Wood Burning

Pyrography is a craft to burn a design on a clean piece of wood. This activity is great if you like to draw since the two of them are very similar.

You need a pyrography pen and a clean piece of wood to create your own piece.

Types of pyrography pens

You only need very little tools to start doing this. With many types of burner pens and woods in the market, it is important that you pick the correct ones.

There are 3 types of burners and they are wire-nib burners, laser cutters, and solid-point burners.

Wire-nib burners have regulated temperature controls and the nibs are interchangeable on some models.

The solid-point burners work like soldering irons because they have a tip that is used to burn the wood.

Laser cutters can scorch the wood instead of cutting it.

Types of wood

You should also be careful on the type of wood you choose. Never use treated wood as this wood is treated with special chemicals and will not burn well. Balsa wood is a very light wood that burns fast and is good for beginners however the best wood is hard wood.

Other useful tools

You may also want to obtain some carbon paper. Carbon paper allows you to draw your desired design on the wood. You can then use it to trace the design onto the wood. Using Carbon paper also allows you to make duplicates of your piece.

It is always best to prime your wood before starting. Give the surface a good sanding to clean and level out the wood. Splinters can get in the way so a good sand paper rub will work wonders.

How to use a pyrography pen

To use a pyrography pen, press it against a wood canvas and hold and lift it at different intervals. The longer you keep the pen in contact with the wood, the darker and more pronounce the mark. This shading effect is used to create a sense of depth and texture in the work.

Play with different tips in your pyrography set. You will find different tips create widely different effects.

Using a good tool with proper heat control can create dark and light shades according to what you desire.

What to create

Aside from portraits and display arts, pyrography art can also be used to embellish furniture, kitchen utensils such as wooden stirring spoons and cheese boards/cutting boards, treasure chests, jewelry boxes and more.

Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.